Orthopedic device



May 3, l932 E. E. DETTELBACH 1,856,377

ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE Filed July '7, 1930 INVENTOR. i E. DE TTELB/ICH.

BY y

A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 3, 1932 PATENT OFFICE EDWARD E. D'ETTELBACH, OF LOSANGELES, CALIFORNIA ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE Application filed July 7,

This invention relates to improvements in orthopedic devices. l h

The general object of the invention 1s to provide an improved deviceadapted to be applied to a shoe for correcting foot ailments.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment forV a shoeby means of which pressure may be applied to the various portions of afoot.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for applyingpressure on a foot from the exterior of a shoe.

' A still further object of the invention is to provide a footcorrection device for attach- 7 ing to shoes having adjustable means forapplying pressure on the foot.

,Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparentfrom the followin description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view ofa shoe showing my improved deviceoperatively positioned thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. c u

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

v Fig. 5 is an enlarged'section taken on line 5 5'of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing the manner in which myimproved foot correction device may be made in sectional parts,

and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on line when in position thereon theside flange 18v n is adapted to engage the sides of the shoe sole 1930.Serial N0. 465,813.

12 and the top flange 19 is adapted to engage the top of the sole whichprojects beyond the upper while the lower ange 20 is adapted to engagethe bottom of the sole. rlhe border 15 is preferably colored to matchthe color of the shoe sole and the upper flange 19 is preferablyprovided with crimping as indicated at 21 to simulate the crimping ofthe last.

Various means may be used for securing the border 15 in position, but Ihave shown the lower flange 2O as provided with opposed downwardlyextending apertured lugs 22 adjacent the heel in the apertures of whichI position a bolt 28 on which a nut 24 is provided.

The metal border 15 being made of spring metal does not appreciablyimpair the flexibility of the shoe but it does retain the shoe in itscorrect shape by preventing spreading of the shoe.

In the lower flange of the border 15 I provide a plurality of elongatedapertures 25. Vhen it is desired to raise one side of the sole of ashoe, rubber plugs 26 are positioned in the correct number of theapertures to cause the sole of the shoe to assume the desired angle inwalking.

The-pressure applying devices 16 are made of spring steel and constitutea plate body portion 27 having a depressed portion 28 intermediate thelength thereof and countersunk apertures 29 adjacent each end. (SeeFigs. 1 and 5). The pressure device 16 is placed in the desired positionon the sole of the shoe and secured thereby by brads 30 before theborder is placed on the shoe, thus the ends of the device 16 are coveredby the bottom flange 20 of the border. Zhen the device 16 is operativelyplaced in position on the shoe the ydepression 28 bulges the sole of theshoe inwardly as shown in Fig. 5 thus applying pressure on the foot ofthe wearer.

One or more of the devices 16 may be used and they may be placed invarious positions and at various angles to apply pressure to the desiredparts of the foot.

The device 17 is adapted to apply pressure to the arch of the foot andas shown comprises a metal housing 32 having side flanges Y 33 which areadapted to be positioned belovver flange 2O of the border 15.

l der if desired.

pered threaded bolt 38 which includes a polygonal head 39. Tol'applypressure on the arch of va foot the expansion device 84 is placed in thedesired position and the bolt 38 rotated to raise the upper member 36thereby causing the sole', of the shoe to bulge inward- ,lyas shown inig. 3. Instead of using the expansion device 34V a piece of hard leatherorsimilar material may be positioned in the housing to apply a pressureto the arch l if desired.

'lhe border 15 may be used without the devicesl and 17V-and theapertures 25 and the rubber pads 26 maybe omitted from the bor- Fig. L6I have indicated generally at 40, 4l and 42 sections of metal borderswhich are ,similar to the border l5. When the border l5 is made insections as shown in F ig. 6 it is only necessary to place a section onthe shoe j sole where itis desired to apply a local pressure instead ofcompletely around the sole as shown in Fig. il. Ihe arch portion 42 ofthe sectional borderl in addition to thesecuring 4bolt 23 is providedwith anothersecuring .i V'member 43. The member 43 includes a flatpiecer of` metal v44 which extends acrossl the ,Y sole and the endsofwhich are adapted to be positioned between the shoe sole and the lowerborder flange 20. y The member 44 has arms 45 and 46 pivotally securedthereto in- ,Y termediate its lengthas indicated at 47. rIhe free endsof the arms 45 and 46 are lprovided with pins V48 whichr are adapted tobe positioned in apertures 49 provided the flange 20 of the border andapertures 50 pro'.- vided in the vportion 44 of the fastening memy ber.L Y Y c- Y From the foregoing description it will be apparent that Ihavevprovided -a novel'foot correctionjdevice `which is simple inconstruc-v tion andveflicient in use.

"Having thusdescribedvmy invention what I claim lis Y beingrmade of .lamaterial of aV greater hard.

l. VIn combination with V a shoeincluding a sole, a pressureapplyingdevice, said device Y ness than said sole and engaging the outersurfaceV of said sole, a depressionintermef diate thelengthofsaiddevice, saiddepres- V-sioncausing said sole to bulge inwardly and meansto retain said device 1n pos1t1on onsald Asole and a heel a border,saidA border extending around said shoeJ sole on each side to a positionadjacent said heel, said border 1ncluding a side flange, a top flangeand a bottom flange, said side flange engaging the outer side surface ofsaid sole and said top flange engaging the upper surface ofrsaid soleand said lower flange engaging the lower surface of said sole, means'tosecure said border in positionon said sole, and a'press'ure device,'said 'device comprising a flat member having a depressiontherein-intermediate the length thereof, said member extendingtransversely ofsaid sole and the ends of said member beingA positionedbetweenY said sole `and said lower flange of saidborder, said depressionof said member causing said sole to bulgerinwardly.

3. In `combination with-a shoe including a 'sole and a heel, 'aV-border,said border eX- tending around said shoe sole on each side to alposition adjacent said heel, said border including a side flange, a topflanger and a bottom flange, said side flange engaging the outer sidesurface of said sole and said top flange enga-ging the upper surface jof'said sole andv said lower flange engaging the lower surface of saidsole, means to secure said border in position 'on said sole, a pluralityVof spaced apertures in 'said lower llange and .resilient padspositioned in certain 'of said apertures, and a pressure device, saiddevice comprising a flat member having a depression therein intermediatethe length thereof, said member extending ltransversely ofV said soleandthe ends of said member beingfpgositioned betweensaidsole and saidlowerl flange of wsaid border, said depression ofsaid member causing'said Vsole to 'bulge' inwardly.

4. In combination with a shoe including a sole, a border, meanstosecuresaid border in position on the edge of said "sole, and meansassociated with 'said border to cause an inward bulging of the bottom'of said" sole, said bulging occurring at a'location "spaced from saidborder, Y Y i 5. In combination with a shoe including a sole, a pressureapplying device, Vsaid de- ,l vice including a housing positioned y'onthe outer 'surfaceof said sole adjacent the arch of said shoe, meansengaging the top edges and sides of the sole to secure said housing tosaid shoe, an expansion member positioned in said Vhousing and having a`portion engag- Vingsaid sole, and 'means to expand said inemberv tocausesaid portion to bulge said sole inwardly'. p a Y Vf3. 'Thecombination'of a shoe including a sole and aheel,cand a pressuredevice,said device comprising a flat memberV having a A, protuberance thereonintermediate lthe length thereof, said vmember extending transversely ofsaid sole and the ends of said member be- "ing positioned adjacent`to1'saidsole,and means to secure said deviee in place, saidprotuberance causing said sole to bulge inwardly. i Y

7. The combination of a shoe including a sole and a heel7 and a pressuredevice, said device being positioned under the arch of said shoe andcomprising a housinor having 6 side anges positioned adjacent said sole,an expansion member positioned in said housing, said expansion memberincluding a lower section and an upper section, a tapered annularthreaded recess in said lower and upper 10 sections7 a tapered threadedbolt positioned in said recess, said bolt when rotated in one directionbeing adapted to move said upper section away from said lower section tobulge said sole inwardly, and means to secure said housing in place.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature. y

EDWARD E. DETTELBACH.

